Although many HIV/AIDS prevention programs for adolescents have used peer educators to deliver risk reduction information, fewresearchers have evaluated the effects of participation in educational activities on the peer educators themselves. The present study compares several outcomes experienced by peer educators involved in a school-based HIV prevention program with those of their classmates to determine areas in which involvement in the curriculum had an effect on peer educators. Analyses revealed few differences between peer educators that could be attributed to the implementation of the intervention. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention programs targeting adolescent populations, and suggestions are made concerning the importance of future research on the selection, training, and integration of peer educators into school-based programs.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
1. Prince F: The relative effectiveness of a peer-led and adult-led smoking intervention program. Adolescence30:187-194, 1995.
2.
2. Telch MJ, Miller LM, Killen JD, Cooke S, Maccoby N: Social influences approach to smoking prevention: The effects of videotape delivery with and without same-age peer leader participation. Addict Behav15:21-28, 1990.
3.
3. Wiist WH, Snider G: Peer education in friendship cliques: Prevention of adolescent smoking. Health Ed Res6:101-108, 1991.
4.
4. Hansen WB, Graham JW: Preventing alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use among adolescents: Peer pressure resistance training versus establishing conservative norms. Prev Med10:414-430, 1991.
5.
5. Perry CL, Grant M, ErnbergG, Florenzano FR, Langond MC, Myeni AD, Waahlberg R, Berg S, Andersson K, Schmid T: WHO collaborative study on alcohol education and young people: Outcomes of a four-country pilot study. Int J Addict24:1145-1171, 1989.
6.
6. Milburn K: Acritical reviewof peer education with young people with special reference to sexual health. Health Ed Res10:407-420, 1995.
7.
7. Sloane BC, Zimmer CG: The power of peer health education. J Am Coll Health41:241-245, 1993.
8.
8. Turner G, Shepherd J: A method in search of a theory: Peer education and health promotion. Health Ed Res14:235-247, 1999.
9.
9. Quirk ME, Godkin MA, Schwenzfeier E: Evaluation of two AIDS prevention interventions for inner-city adolescent and young adult women. Am J Prev Med9:21-26, 1993.
10.
10. Ferguson SL: Peer counseling in a culturally specific adolescent pregnancy prevention program. J Health Care Poor Underserved9:322-340, 1998.
11.
11. Kelly JA, St. Lawrence JS, Stevenson IY, Hauth AC, Kalichman SC, Diaz YE, Brasfied TL, Koob JJ, Morgan MG: Community AIDS/HIV risk reduction: The effects of endorsements by popular people in three cities. Am J Public Health82:1483-1489, 1992.
12.
12. Stevens PE: HIV prevention education for lesbians and bisexualwomen: Acultural analysis of a community intervention. Soc Sci Med11:1565-1578, 1994.
13.
13. Fennell R: A review of evaluations of peer education programs. J Am Coll Health41:251-253, 1993.
14.
14. Jemmott JB, Jemmott LS, Fong GT: Reductions in HIV risk-associated sexual behaviors among Black male adolescents: Effects of an AIDS prevention intervention. Am J Public Health82:372-377, 1992.
15.
15. Ozer EJ, Weinstein RS, Maslach C: Adolescent AIDS prevention in context: The impact of peer educator qualities and classroom environments on intervention efficacy. Am J Community Psychol25:289-323, 1997.
16.
16. St. Lawrence JS, Brasfield TL, Jefferson KW, Alleyne E, O’Bannon RE, Shirley A: Cognitive behavioral intervention to reduce African American adolescents’ risk for HIV infection. J Consult Clin Psychol63:221-237, 1995.
17.
17. Walter NJ, Vaughan RD: AIDS risk reduction among a multiethnic sample of urban high school students. JAMA270:725-730, 1993.
18.
18. Shulkin JJ, Mayer JA, Wessel LG, deMoor C, Elder JP, Franzini LR: Effects of a peer-led intervention with university students. J Am Coll Health40:75-79, 1991.
19.
19. Siegel DM, Aten MJ, Roghmann KJ, Enaharo M: Early effects of a school-based human immunodeficiency virus infection and sexual risk prevention intervention. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med152:961-970, 1998.
20.
20. McAleavy G, McCrystal P, Kelly G: Peer education: A strategy for improving health education in disadvantaged areas in Belfast. Public Health110:31-36, 1996.
21.
21. O’Hara P, Messick BJ, Fichtner RR, Parris D: Apeer-led AIDS prevention program for students in an alternative school. J Sch Health66:176-181, 1996.
22.
22. Slap GB, Plotkin SL, Khalid N, Michelman DF, Forke CM: An HIV peer education program for adolescent females. J Adolesc Health12:434-442, 1991.
23.
23. Richie ND, Getty A: Did an AIDS peer education program change first-year college students’ behaviors?J Am Coll Health42:163-165, 1994.
24.
24. Cline RJW, Engel JL: College students’perception of sources of information about AIDS. J Am Coll Health40:55-63, 1991.
25.
25. Helgerson SD, Peterson LR: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and secondary school students: Their knowledge is limited and theirwant to learn more. Pediatrics81:350-355, 1988.
26.
26. Remafedi G: Cognitive and behavioral adaptations to HIV/AIDS among gay and bisexual adolescents. J Adolesc Health15:142-148, 1994.
27.
27. Tyden T, Bergholm M, Hallen A, Odlind V, Olsson S, Sjoden P, Strand A, Bjorkelund C: Evaluation of an STD-prevention program for Swedish university students. J Am Coll Health47:70-75, 1998.
28.
28. Topping K, Whiteley M: Sex differences in the effectiveness of peer tutoring. Sch Psy Int14:57-67, 1993.
29.
29. Hufnagel PP: Effects of tutoring on tutors (study strategies, verbalization, cognitive structure). Diss Abst Int45-02, sec. A, 463-463, 1983.
30.
30. Vazquez EG: Effects of peer tutoring on the social acceptance of students rated as not socially accepted in the classroom. Diss Abst Int52-03, sec. A, 857-857, 1990.
31.
31. Anderson MV: The effects of short-term peer facilitator training on the level of self-concept and communication skills of a select group of the peer facilitators. Diss Abst Int49-08, sec. A, 2108-2108, 1988.
32.
32. Borgeson GL: The effects of a high school peer counseling program on the peer counselors: An exploratory study. Diss Abst Int49-10, sec. A, 2930-2903, 1988.
33.
33. Moore LB: Peer helpers helping themselves: Astudy of some of the most significant benefits of being a peer helper. Diss Abst Int55-04, sec. A, 912-912, 1994.
34.
34. Hall JS: The developmental effects of a peer counseling program for high school students. Diss Abst Int51-07, sec. A, 2268-2268, 1990.
35.
35. Hahn JA: The impact of a high school peer counseling training program upon the affective development, ego development, and self-concepts of peer counselors. Diss Abst Int47-09, sec. A, 3367-3367, 1986.
36.
36. Perry CL, Klepp KI, Halper A, Hawkins DG, Murray DM: A process evaluation study of peer leaders in health education. J Sch Health56:62-67, 1986.
37.
37. Israel T: Experiences of a former peer educator. J Am Coll Health41:295-295, 1993.
38.
38. Grossberg PM, Tillotson TS, Roberts CM, Roach KJ, Brault BA: Training opinion leaders to promote safer sex. J Am Coll Health41:273-274, 1993.
39.
39. Sawyer RG, Pinciaro P, Bedwell D: How peer education changed peer sexuality educators’ self-esteem, personal development, and sexual behavior. J Am Coll Health45:211-217, 1997.
40.
40. Haignere CS, Freudenberg N, Silder DR, Maslanka H, Kelley JT: One method for assessing HIV/AIDS peer-education programs. J Adolesc Health21:76-79, 1997.
41.
41. Donohew L, Zimmerman RS, Cupp PK, Novak S, Colon S, Abell R: Sensation seeking, impulsive decision-making and risky sex: Implications for risk-taking and design of interventions. Pers Ind Diff28:1079-1091, 2000.
42.
42. Barth RP: Reducing the Risk: Building Skills to Prevent Pregnancy, STDs and HIV. Santa Cruz, CA, ETR, 1996.
